GreatLight machines aluminium parts to ±0.005 mm in Dongguan, with 127 CNC machines, 16 simultaneous 5-axis centers and a 12-hour quote. Send a STEP file and we return a DFM review before cutting metal.
Check these against your last batch before you send a drawing.
Thin walls and long slots release internal stress when the clamps open. The part measured good on the machine and sits 0.1 mm out of flat an hour later. Roughing, stress relief and a light finish pass prevent most of it.
A 6061 housing that needs Ra 0.8 μm will not get there with a single finishing pass at high feed. We separate the cosmetic face from the functional face and cut it last, with a sharp tool and light depth of cut.
Aluminium galls. Cut threads in 7075 or 2024 without the right lubricant and pitch diameter drifts. We check threads with go/no-go gauges and can add helicoils or thread inserts when the joint sees repeated assembly.
The first sample is often cut by the most experienced operator on the newest machine. Volume runs need the same fixtures, the same tool paths and in-process checks, otherwise the tolerance band walks and you find out at assembly.
Three things decide whether an aluminium part comes out right.
Aluminium moves. A 4,000 mm extrusion profile or a 2 mm wall bracket will relax once the bulk of the material is gone. We rough with stock left on, let the part settle, then take a light finishing pass that removes the last 0.3–0.5 mm at low radial engagement.
For 5-axis work we tilt the tool rather than reach in with a long cutter. Shorter gauge length means less chatter on deep pockets and better surface finish on contoured faces.
Every part gets a raw material check, in-process monitoring and a final inspection before it ships. On aluminium we watch wall thickness, flatness and hole position, since those are the features that fail at assembly.
Inspection reports come on request. If your drawing calls out a CMM report or a first article report, say so at quoting and it is built into the process plan.
The grade you pick decides machinability, strength and how the finish looks.
| Grade | Typical use | Machining note |
|---|---|---|
| 6061 / 6061-T6 | Brackets, housings, jigs | Free cutting, anodizes evenly |
| 7075 | High-load structural parts | Strong but galls; sharp tools required |
| 2024 | Aerospace ribs, fittings | Good fatigue life, poorer corrosion |
| 5052 / 5083 | Panels, enclosures, marine | Tough, gummy, slow feeds |
| 6082 | Structural profiles | Similar to 6061, slightly stronger |
| ADC12 | Die-cast housings, post-machined | Porosity shows up on sealing faces |
One shop for prototypes through production, plus the finishing steps after machining.
16 simultaneous 5-axis centers for contoured faces, deep pockets and parts that would need three setups on a 3-axis mill. One setup means tighter position between features.
27 three-axis mills, 12 four-axis mills and 16 mill-turn centers. Shafts, bushings and turned-then-milled parts come off one machine without re-chucking.
Single parts and small batches for fit checks. Quotation and DFM analysis within 12 hours; production can start within 24 hours once the drawing is settled.
Anodizing (clear, colour, hardcoat, conductive), bead blasting, brushing, polishing, powder coating, laser marking with a 1.5 mm minimum character height.
For enclosures and housings where a casting plus finish machining beats cutting from solid. ADC12 and similar alloys, machined after casting on sealing faces.
Bridge parts for pre-production builds. Useful when you need ten units next week and tooling is still months out.
| Item | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum order | 1 part | One prototype to 10,000+ runs |
| Tolerance | ±0.005 mm | ±0.0002 in on critical features |
| Surface finish | Ra 0.2–3.2 μm | As-machined to fine finish |
| Max part size | 4,000 × 400 × 150 mm | Smaller travels for compact parts |
| Quote turnaround | 12 hours | Includes free DFM analysis |
| Shipping | 3–5 days | After production release |
Fifteen years in Dongguan, three plants, and a machine list you can check against your part.
Fifteen years of aluminium work, most of it for engineers who send drawings with real tolerances rather than rough sketches.
3-axis, 4-axis, 5-axis and mill-turn capacity in one building. Your job routes to the machine that fits, not the one that happens to be free.
Held across production runs, not only on the first article. In-process checks catch drift before the batch is finished.
Parts that pass final inspection on the first pass. The number comes from our own inspection records.
Most orders ship in 3–5 days. The risk of a late shipment has stayed under two percent.
ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 27001:2022 cover quality, automotive, medical and data handling.
Thin ribs, tight hole position, traceable material.
Sealing faces, flatness, repeatable volume output.
Clean surfaces, no burrs, documented inspection.
Mounting plates and arms that mate on first assembly.
STEP and IGES cover most jobs. Native SolidWorks or AutoCAD files also work. Include the 2D drawing with tolerances, thread callouts and surface finish notes, because a 3D model alone does not carry GD&T.
If you only have a model, we quote from that and flag the features where a tolerance decision is needed.
We rough with stock left on, let the part relax, then take a light finishing pass. On long or thin parts we may add a stress-relief step or change the fixture to support the wall.
If the geometry is the real problem, the DFM review will say so before we cut. A rib added to a bracket often costs less than a fixture that fights the part.
Yes, but the order matters. Hardcoat adds roughly half the coating thickness per surface, so masking and final dimensions need to account for it. Tight bores should be masked or finished after coating.
We machine to the pre-coat dimension and coordinate the finish step so the final part meets the drawing.
No. We run from one prototype to 10,000+ part runs on the same process. The setup cost is the same whether you order one or one hundred, which is why the first unit carries most of the price.
Small batches are common for fit checks before a larger release.
Quotation and free DFM analysis come back within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours after you approve the quote and the drawing is settled.
Parts typically ship in 3–5 days. Complex parts with outside finishing take longer, and we say so at quoting rather than after.
Uploads are secure and confidential. We sign an NDA on request, and our ISO 27001:2022 certification covers how data is handled internally.
Files stay tied to your project and are not shared outside the job.
Yes, on features the process can control, with the right fixture and a stable thermal environment. Very thin walls or long unsupported spans change what is realistic.
The DFM review will tell you which features can hold that band and which need a different tolerance or a design change.
Yes, on request. Every part gets a raw material check, in-process monitoring and a final inspection before shipment.
Tell us at quoting if you need a CMM report, first article report or material certificate so it is planned into the process.
Upload a STEP file and drawing. You get a price, a DFM review and a production date within 12 hours.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum orderNDA on request
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Upload your 3D model or 2D drawing and get a quotation with a free DFM analysis. Maximum processing size 4,000 mm.
CNC Metals 13 grades
CNC Plastics 10 grades
Machines & processes 12 options
Surface & post-processing 10 options
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